


The Perils of Love

by hazellepotter



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Christmas, Eccentricity, Engagement, Epiphanies, F/M, Fear of Vulnerability, Friends to Lovers, High School AU, Love Confession, Love Triangle, Love at First Sight, Muggle AU, New Year's Eve, New Year's Kiss, New Years, Not Canon Compliant - Movie 2: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Rejection, Vulnerability
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-28 20:55:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17190236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hazellepotter/pseuds/hazellepotter
Summary: Theseus was in love with Leta, Leta loved Theseus. Newt loved Leta, Leta was in love with Newt. It was hard loving two brothers, especially when you loved them in different ways but not in the way each of them wanted to be loved.





	The Perils of Love

Leta lived a complicated life, because Leta was a complicated woman. She had been ever since she was a young girl. She liked to blame her past, but she really just knew it was because of her ridiculous fear of vulnerability. 

 _ **Theseus was in love with Leta, Leta loved Theseus. Newt loved Leta, Leta was in love with Newt.** _It was hard loving two brothers, especially when you loved them in different ways but not in the way each of them wanted to be loved. 

Leta remembered the day she fell in love with Newt. They were fourteen years old and both loners on their first day of high school. Leta was never the type to make friends easily, and she learned quickly that Newt befriended animals rather than people. She found it intriguing. The way he could love these creatures that could hardly communicate with him in a way he could understand. His caring heart and eccentric obsessions made him unique; unique in a way she wished she always could be. Leta had punched a cheerleader in the face that day. She was running through the school and out the doors to escape her first suspension, though she still got caught. But before the campus security could catch up with her, she ran into Newt outside who was feeding a squirrel and talking to him as though they had been friends for years. He then beckoned for her to come over and didn't even acknowledge the fact that she was clearly running from something. He told her facts about squirrels that she would have never known otherwise. Many would have found it weird, but Leta found it refreshing that Newt could escape from reality so easily.

As campus security dragged her back inside the building to inform her of her first suspension, Newt smiled at her and told her he would see her later. It was so simple, but from then on, Leta never paid attention to anyone but Newt. And he didn't lie to her when he said he would see her later. They instantly became best friends and Leta was welcomed into the Scamander family because her's was always preoccupied with their own issues. At first, she figured she would marry Newt, but Newt made it clear he wasn't into her and would only ever be into his studies. She learned to be okay with that, as long as he would always be in her life.

But it didn't work out that way, because years later, Theseus divulged his feelings for her. She wanted Newt to act jealous; she wanted _something._ But he did nothing. Instead, he just disappeared. He didn't even fight for her, so she decided to fight against her own instincts and choose his brother. Her father had always told her choices for security were always better than true love, so she learned to love Theseus, but Newt always lingered in the back of her mind. She just hoped that one day she would see him again, though he seemed to avoid his family like the plague. They loved him, but he always felt misunderstood. Most people didn't understand Newt, but Leta did. _**She always had.**_

* * *

Leta had been with Theseus for three years by the time they finally went home. Theseus had been sent overseas for his work in the army, and Leta went with him. Traveling the world was always how she had imagined it would be, and Theseus was always a fun-loving person. It made things exciting. So when they finally came home for the holidays, Leta felt like a new woman. Or she _wanted_ to be a new woman, but what she didn't realize was that she was still the same little girl inside. The little girl that avoided true vulnerability at all costs. 

"Mother and father are going to be so happy to see us again. Especially you. I'm pretty sure they love you more than me," Theseus joked.

Leta grabbed his hand as they walked up his parent's front steps, "Oh, I'm sure," Leta replied sarcastically, "You are their golden boy."

Theseus grinned as he rang the doorbell.

It didn't take long for Mrs. Scamander to come to the door and greet them with warm hugs. Mr. Scamander called their names from the kitchen and beckoned that his wife let them actually come in. They all laughed and everything felt secure, until she saw him at the kitchen island.

Leta stopped in her tracks when she saw him. He had grown up; she was always sure Newt would stay a boy forever. His boyish charm and genuine interest in the world seemed like it would last forever. But Newt looked like an expert now; he was rugged and had seen what he had needed to see. His own travels had done good for him. Leta gulped as the world stopped spinning and Theseus went up to greet his brother. 

Newt avoided all eye contact with her. It was then that Leta could no longer avoid the burning of fear in her gut. She approached the two brothers and addressed Newt.

"Newt," she said breathlessly, "It has been too long."

It was as though Theseus didn't exist when Newt finally looked her in the eye. His hazel eyes were warm as always, but they seemed cautious. Cautious in a way that was not in Newt's nature.

"Leta, it has been a long time," he replied, "How were your travels?"

He was overly formal. Leta wanted to ask why, but Newt wasn't the type to divulge his feelings either. They could always know each other's emotions without words in the past, but now, everything was unclear. 

It was like second nature, and Leta couldn't stop herself from doing it. He was the only person she ever initiated hugs with first. She went towards him and wrapped her arms around him. He didn't return the hug; he rarely did. Newt wasn't one for physical touch, but she still felt safest with her body against his.

She didn't answer his questions, but she knew he didn't need to. When she pulled away from him, he looked her in the eye again. This time, they were filled with perplexion. Before he could even attempt to ask any questions, Theseus made his presence once again known.

He wrapped his arm around Leta's waist, and Newt looked away quickly and back down at the floor. Leta caught Mr. Scamander watching them closely from the corner of her eye.

"Newt, you never replied to our letters," Theseus stated, "We would have loved if you could have come and seen us while you were also overseas."

"Well, I was very busy studying," Newt replied, "It just didn't make sense to interrupt my intense concentration and your new life with my presence."

Leta wanted to speak up and say his presence would never be an interruption, but Mrs. Scamander piped in.

"Well, none of that matters now, boys. We are all here together for the holidays, and today is Christmas Eve! Let's go sit by the fire."

Theseus smiled warmly at his mom and agreed. Leta still watched Newt, and Mr. Scamander watched Leta's lingering eyes. 

They all made it to the living room and it was just like old times. Except it wasn't, because that night, Newt hardly spoke about his interests once.

* * *

Leta woke up to Theseus' arms around her and him murmuring "Merry Christmas" in her ear. When she rolled over to look at him, at first she saw Newt's face. She tried to ignore it.

"Merry Christmas," she replied, "We should probably get downstairs."

Theseus hugged her body tighter against his, "Why can't we just enjoy this for a few more minutes?"

So they did. Or Theseus did anyway. Leta felt guilty the entire time.

Once they made it downstairs, the Scamanders were all sitting around the tree. When Newt saw their presence, he instantly got up to organize everyone's presents. As Newt passed Leta's out to her, he still avoided looking her in the eye. 

There were many laughs and jokes as everyone opened up each others gifts. From an outside viewer, they would have looked like the perfect family.

When Theseus opened up his framed medal of honor from his parents, he beamed proudly and dedicated it all to Leta. She blushed profusely as he kissed her in front of his family, and Mrs. Scamander swooned. Newt looked away, and Mr. Scamander watched Newt.

It was then Mr. Scamander spoke up.

"Leta, why don't you open the gift Newt got you?"

Surprised that Newt got Leta a gift, she looked down at her pile of gifts and found the one that had his familiar scrawl on its tag. 

She tore the wrapping off to be faced with a book about squirrel facts. Leta knew at this point she must have known everything there was to know about squirrels, but Newt explained, "I saw this book and thought of you during my travels. I even added notes inside of my own observations, because I thought the book was lacking some."

Leta smiled brightly. "Thank you, Newt," she told him sincerely, "I love it."

Mr. Scamander smiled.

* * *

It was now New Years Eve. The days staying at the Scamander's place had gone by fast. They always did in the past, too. 

But Leta still felt like she had hardly talked to Newt. He was either avoiding her, or she was pulled away by Theseus to do something else. 

Mrs. Scamander, Newt, and Theseus went to the store that afternoon to grab some things for dinner that night. Leta was preparing for the celebration in Theseus' childhood bedroom. She looked at the neatly made bed and the lack of photographs on the walls. It felt bare and lifeless.

Leta had been ignoring the itch for days, but she couldn't any longer. She quietly made her way out of Theseus' room and tip-toed down the halls to Newt's. As she carefully opened the door and flipped on the light, she was surprised to see it looked exactly the same at is it always had. Newt hadn't moved anything before his own travels. Leta instantly felt at home. 

She walked around his unmade bed to the left of the room by his loveseat. The walls were filled with his notes and pictures of animals from around the world. It was then she found a picture of the two of them in high school at the local zoo. She couldn't help but smile. 

Leta was then interrupted from her nostalgia by someone clearing their throat. She jumped back from the photograph to see Mr. Scamander standing by Newt's bedroom door.

"I'm not surprised to find you here," he told you, "I have been waiting to hear your footsteps down at this end of the hall for days."

Leta blushed, "Why is that?"

"Because you love my son."

"I do love Theseus," Leta quickly interjected, "But I don't see how-"

_"I'm not talking about Theseus."_

Leta gulped and looked back at the picture of her and Newt from high school.

"He has never felt the same way, _and I do love Theseus-_ "

"Have you ever asked him, Leta?"

"I would know if he did without his words," Leta explained, "I don't need to ask. I have made my choice."

"If you say so. I just want you all to be _happy._ " 

* * *

Leta's conversation with Mr. Scamander haunted her for the rest of the day, so when Mr. and Mrs. Scamander's friends came by for the party that evening and as Theseus walked around greeting them all, Leta felt nervous. 

She played with the hem of her dress and looked down at the floor trying to avoid socializing, but Theseus eventually pushed her into it.

It wasn't until an hour before midnight that Theseus' turned his socialization from casual to serious. He tapped on the side of his champagne glass with a butter knife to get everyone's attention. 

"If I could have everyone's attention," he stated, "I just want to say that tonight is a special night."

He grabbed Leta's hand and looked her in the eyes as he spoke.

"As a new year approaches, I want to start a new chapter of my life. Now that my work overseas is over, I want to settle down. Which means-"

It was then that Theseus' got down on one knee. Leta felt light-headed.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with Leta," he continued, "Leta, I love you with all my heart. You are the _only_ one I have ever loved with all my heart. Ever since I first saw you come home with Newt after school on that October afternoon, I have known. Will you marry me?"

There were many shocked gasps in the crowd of people, and she turned her head to see Mrs. Scamander giggling madly with excitement. The guests were waiting in anticipation as Leta nervously scanned the room. It was then she caught sight of Newt. His face was bright red and he was looking down at the ground. He looked frozen in place, much like she was. 

Before looking down at Theseus again, time seemed to go by slowly. She made eye contact with Mr. Scamander and remembered her conversation with him earlier that day. _He wants them all to be happy._ If Leta goes through with this, she _knows_ that will not be the case. She can't ignore the truth anymore, and she must let her vulnerability be known. 

It was the scariest moment of her life when she backed away from Theseus and dropped his hand that was in her's. She watched as his face fell, and she could feel Newt and Mr. Scamander's eyes on her. Mrs. Scamander let out a gasp of horror.

"I-I'm sorry," Leta finally replied, _"I can't."_

Before saying anything else, she ran away from Theseus and pushed through the crowd. Leaving them all stunned and in silence.

* * *

Leta had been walking outside in her heels for at least half an hour. When she looked down at her wrist watch, she saw that it was 11:52 pm. 

She sighed loudly to herself as she finally found a bench and threw her heels off. She put her head in her hands and tried not to cry.

 _Had she just ruined her secure future? Had she just lost the only true family she had ever known over unreciprocated love?_ She felt sick.

But she was interrupted from her queazy stomach when she felt someone sit down next to her. She lifted her head from her hands to see Newt.

"Newt?" She asked, "What are you doing here?"

He didn't answer for a moment, and that is when she realized he had seen a bird in the tree above them. She let him concentrate on it until he was ready.

"I followed you," he answered, "I decided it was time we finally talked."

"I have missed our talks," she confessed, "I was worried we would never have one again."

_"So was I."_

Leta sat up to really look at Newt's face. She was reminded again how much he had grown up, but then she saw the familiar blush in his cheeks and the innocence in his hazel eyes. She realized then that he was still the same boy she had fallen for all those years ago, and she decided that he now deserved the truth.

"I have always been in love with you like you have been in love with your animals," she told him, "I was just too afraid to tell you, because I know you will never feel the same way."

It felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, though she still couldn't breathe. She watched Newt process her words, and to her surprise, he turned his body towards her and then he gently grabbed her hands.

He was looking down at their hands as he spoke, "I love animals, Leta, but I am in love with _you._ "

She watched his long lashes now look up at her. She felt his hands trembling, and it was then she was reminded of the truth. _She wasn't the only one scared of vulnerability._ There was a reason Newt always escaped to another world inside his head. 

Leta felt tears well up in her eyes, and Newt gave her a sad smile.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," he explained, "I just didn't know how, and I really thought you loved Theseus."

"I _do_ love Theseus," she told him, "Just not in the way I love you."

"Everyone wants Theseus, are you sure you don't?"

She saw the insecurity he had always lived with bubble out of him. She was going to answer him with her words, but then she realized she didn't need to. Newt and Leta never communicated in that way, so instead, she looked him in the eye and cupped his face with her hands. She leaned forward and kissed him softly. Her watch buzzed with the alarm telling her that it was now the new year, and Leta pulled away. Newt's eyes were still closed.

"I'm sure," she whispered, _"I have only wanted you."_

He opened his eyes and smiled shyly. Then he had done something he had never done before.

**_He hugged her first._ **

 


End file.
